Environment Agency Shares 2024/25 Inspection Outcomes
The Environment Agency have shared the outcomes of the inspections from 2024/25 in their latest newsletter, meeting its target of 4,000 inspections for the third consecutive year. The headline figures are as follows:
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4545 inspections completed
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2211 inspections recorded at least one non-compliance (49%)
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6870 improvement action were issued
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6242 actions recorded as complete in 2024-25
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884 enforcement responses (warnings and notices) were issued
“The rate of non-compliance continues to hover around half of the farms we visit – there has been some slight variation in this over time but not far enough to detect any significant change. We have carried out more than 12000 inspections in the past three financial years; we hope that more farmers will look at what they need to do to comply before we get to them. Engaging with the sector to highlight the issues, what the regulations are and how to comply is an important tool to help achieve this.
The chart below shows the most top 8 most commonly issued improvement actions from the 2024-25 financial year. Similar to overall compliance levels, these have remained the same since we started gathering data. The top two, nutrient management plans and soil testing, go hand in hand and are not things that require significant investment. They can have a major impact on productivity and the environment by showing farmers the nutrient make-up of their soil, which the enables better nutrient planning and more efficient use of their fertilisers, both organic and inorganic.” - Environment Agency
The inspection outcomes reinforce the need to stay proactive, offering compliance support, engaging in policy dialogue, and promoting sustainable practices.
Author
Vicky Robinson
Vicky Robinson is Head of Sustainability and is responsible for leading and co-ordinating AIC's work on sustainability.
